OPENS AT HUDSON YARDS IN NEW YORK

Conceived by New York–based Daniel Arsham and his design studio Snarkitecture, it joins the robust new cultural portfolio on Manhattan’s West Side at Hudson Yards. Snark Park will reveal three immersive exhibitions each year and serve as an incubator for Snarkitecture’s creative ideation as well as a unique convergence of art, architecture, and retail.

Alex Mustonen, Daniel Arsham, Ben Porto

Snarkitecture has dedicated its decade-long practice to the exploration of creative boundaries, across various mediums and disciplines. Fans of their work, new and old (of all ages), will recognize the studio’s characteristically monochromatic aesthetic and extensive catalogue of material play. Snark Park becomes a platform that encourages both the creators and visitors to slow down, and appreciate their emotional and sensorial responses to shifts in light, texture, and even sound. Here, the marriage of art and architecture adopts a certain tactility that encourages its audience to explore its surroundings with new perspectives.

Snark Park is the first entirely Snarkitecture-designed experience. The public exhibition space has been exclusively curated from start to finish by the design studio – from the music to the merchandise, installation, and even scent. The project’s inaugural exhibition, Lost and Found, is a testament to this, as it drives visitors to engage with the space on a full multi-sensory level.

“Many of our studio’s past projects have been housed within sites that were not our own – from Bounce in Hong Kong to Fun House at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC., we had to contend with pre-existing spaces” says Snarkitecture partner Ben Porto. “With Snark Park, the space is ours. Visitors will recognize our aesthetic from the very moment they see the entryway fac?ade. One might say Snark Park represents our practice in its purest form.”

“We are thrilled to bring Snark Park to New York and to become a permanent fixture in the city’s robust cultural landscape,” says Snarkitecture partner Daniel Arsham. “At Hudson Yards, Snark Park will reveal an entirely new and unexpected experience that marries museum-quality installations with an exclusive retail component.”

Lost & Found

Upon entering the space, visitors will encounter Lost and Found, the first installation, a modern-day enchanted forest – totems will line the space, many of them inhabitable and built with custom materials that pull from Snarkitecture’s material archive – EPS foam, mirror tile, acoustic paneling, cork, latex, ping-pong balls, faux fur, among others – many of which reference the studio’s past projects.

As part of the exhibition experience, Snarkitecture has collaborated with Polish electroacoustic musician Jacaszek on exclusive sound for the installation. The design studio plans to incorporate new music with each exhibition going forward.

Built from a series of massive, inhabitable columns, each offering a unique, tactile experience. Snarkitecture’s monochromatic landscape will challenge visitors to reconsider the everyday through changes in material and perspective.

Deeper into the installation, visitors will discover a hidden, two-way mirrored room that further piques curiosity and inspires a childlike fascination.

Prior to entering the venue, visitors to Snark Park will be greeted by a daring and playful facade. A wall of giant claw machines, like those found at an amusement park or arcade, will perform a dramatic ballet, complimenting the flips and turns of a monumental rotating Snark Park sign that lives on the opposite side of the entryway.

Snark Park is located in the Shops and Restaurants at 20 Hudson Yards, on the second level.

Tickets for timed entry are available for purchase through snarkpark.com (tickets available in limited releases each month)
Lost and Found will be on view at Snark Park through August 2019.
Snark Park will debut its second exhibition in September 2019.